
Carmen Staaf
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
"Sounding Line" Album Release Preview
Taking cues from two uncompromising geniuses of the piano, pianist/composer Carmen Staaf presents a fabulous contemporary accounting of the importance of Mary Lou Williams and Thelonious Monk in the lineage of jazz on her new recording, Sounding Line (Sunnyside, September 2025). For this preview performance, she is joined by some of the illustrious musicians from the album - Ben Goldberg, Dillon Vado, and Hamir Atwal - for a set of duos, trios, and quartets exploring music by Williams and Monk, as well as originals. "A consummate jazz pianist" - Herbie Hancock.

Roni Ben-Hur & Larry Vuckovich
Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur and pianist Larry Vuckovich have developed a close musical chemistry, both having an affinity for showcasing their prowess in bebop, as well as various styles within World Music. They will treat the audience to a wide-ranging and exciting set of tunes, including selections honoring the great Charlie Parker just two days after what would have been his 105th birthday.

Alan Broadbent & Harvie S
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Piedmont Piano Company is proud to welcome back Alan Broadbent and Harvie S for their third performance on our stage. With decades of musical collaboration between them, Broadbent and Harvie S share a rare and intuitive connection that brings their performances to life. This seasoned duo will present a captivating evening of jazz standards and original compositions, all delivered with their signature style and remarkable interplay.

Ali Ryerson Quartet
Internationally renowned jazz flutist, Ali Ryerson, is excited to return to Piedmont Piano Company with her longtime colleagues, Steve Rudolph on piano, John Wiitala on bass, and Akira Tana on drums. Their repertoire features beautifully arranged jazz and Brazilian classics. The quartet comes to Oakland directly following their weeklong residency at Hidden Valley Music Seminars on the Monterey Peninsula, where Ryerson conducts her annual jazz flute masterclass.

Jorge Luis Pacheco
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Jorge Luis Pacheco is known for his technical virtuosity on the piano and his electrifying performances. In his solo concerts, he uses a loop station to create complex accompaniments that allow him the freedom to improvise. Also an excellent vocalist with great sensitivity, he always pays tribute to the Buena Vista Social Club with some of their most famous songs. Pacheco reinterprets Latin and Cuban jazz, fusing diverse traditional and contemporary genres to create his own unique style, while maintaining a deep connection with his Cuban heritage.

Paul Cornish Trio
Los Angeles-based pianist and composer Paul Cornish strives to inspire freedom and collaboration in his music and community. He has performed extensively across the globe with such notable artists as Joshua Redman, Louis Cole, Mark Guiliana, and more. Paul brings his trio featuring Jonathan Pinson (drums) and Jermaine Paul (bass) in support of his Blue Note Records debut album You’re Exaggerating. “The Blue Note tradition began 86 years ago with great jazz pianists and Paul is the next purveyor of that hallowed legacy.” –Don Was, Blue Note Records

Paula West
American jazz and cabaret singer Paula West makes her Piano store debut, with Adam Shulman (piano), Aaron Germain (bass), and Leon Joyce, Jr. (drums). Paula is known for her rich, powerful contralto voice and for her highly nuanced interpretations of an extraordinarily eclectic selection of songs that range from the Great American songbook to reinterpretations of songs by artists such as Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Lou Reed and Johnny Cash. Join us for an intimate evening with this Bay Area treasure!

Jamie Davis
Pure Imagination: Tribute to Lou Rawles
Grammy Award winner with The Count Basie Orchestra and internationally renowned vocalist Jamie Davis will seduce you with his deep, velvety voice. This evening, he delivers a tribute to the smooth sounds of one of the best Baritone’s of our time, R&B vocalist Lou Rawls. He’ll be joined by Glen Pearson, (piano), Tod Dickow (saxophone), Ron Belcher (bass),

Jennifer Greer
SONGS & STORIES SERIES
Self-taught musician and singer-songwriter Jennifer Greer performs some of her originals and opens up about her varied taste in musical styles, the pros and cons of teaching music, making her way from New York to California, and much more. Followed by audience Q & A. Hosted by vocalist Sharmila G. Lash.

Steve Dyer & Aaron Rimbui
South African composer, saxophonist and visionary artist Steve Dyer joins forces with the inimitable Kenyan pianist Aaron Rimbui for an intimate musical conversation. Steve and Aaron’s rapport is exceptional. Come along for an engaging performance and a unique opportunity to find out how these unique personalities interact, and various African musician traditions are woven into the artform of jazz.

Larry Fuller Trio
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Since touring with Ray Brown in the early 2000s, pianist Larry Fuller has built a reputation as one of the hardest-swinging pianists on the scene. From bop, to stride, to swing, to blues, the Larry Fuller Trio returns to the piano store! Larry Fuller, a Yamaha Artist, is known to ‘swing like a beast.’ Direct from NYC, Fuller brings his Trio, with Lorin Cohen on bass and Carmen Intorre, Jr., on drums. Don’t miss this top-notch jazz trio while they’re in the Bay Area!

Happy Dog Duo
Happy Dog Duo — pianists Eric Tran and Nathan Cheung — have performed two-piano music for two decades, with a focus on bringing joy to the classical music world. They won 1st prize and Abild American Music Award at the Ellis Duo-Piano Competition, hosted by the National Federation of Music Clubs. Most recently they won 1st prize in the Abril International Competition in Spain, where they will bring this program on tour. The program includes Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Mozart, and Happy Dog.

Maria Muldaur
Celebrating the release of her 44th album "One Hour Mama – The Blues of Victoria Spivey," Maria Muldaur will be performing a special intimate acoustic concert of swingin' Vintage Naughty Bawdy Blues and Jazz tunes from the '20s and '30s, accompanied by the amazing young piano virtuoso Neil Fontano.

Art Lande Quartet
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
UnStandards – The Art Lande Quartet is comprised of highly experienced musicians who have developed distinctive voices on their instruments and know how to listen and connect to each other. The focus of this project is Art's UnStandards — reworking music familiar to the ear and bringing it to a fresh, present moment while honoring the history. Mixing meters, re-harmonizations, adding new sections and changing the whole mood of these old songs are some of the ways that Art fabulized the music during his months in Arizona last winter. This band promises to bring both surprises and consistency to these performances of new music in familiar packages. Come and taste the flavors.

Cyrus Chestnut
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
A masterful jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut balances his lithe technical skill with a robust, soulful style that speaks to his deep gospel roots and love of swinging hard bop. Raised in the church, he learned how to infuse his swinging, classically trained style with a warm gospel sound. Every set he plays is unique, as he reads the audience and the space to create a singular musical experience.

Winnie Cheung & Friends
Pianist Winnie Cheung is excited to share the stage with her musical brother in combat, Bandoneonista C.C. Lee, this time in the US! Don’t miss these two powerhouses joining forces in a program celebrating a two year collaboration with tango musicians in Taiwan. Their combined love and knowledge of tango has knitted together their local communities. The Tango with Winnie Collective will perform tango classics of Troilo, Pugliese, and Gobbi alongside tango composers of today, with special guest Teresa Tam.

Alex Taite
SONGS & STORIES SERIES
An accomplished singer, pianist, educator, conductor, and composer, Alex Taite will share songs and stories from his multifaceted career, working in various musical genres and styles, and creating and producing his one-man show, an in-depth exploration of the Negro Spiritual. Followed by audience Q & A. Hosted by vocalist Sharmila G. Lash.

Ricardo Peixoto, Marcos Silva, Brian Rice
Ricardo Peixoto and Marcos Silva, both originally from Rio de Janeiro and currently based in the Bay Area, are joined by honorary Brazilian Brian Rice. All three have been fixtures of the Bay Area’s Brazilian and Jazz music scenes for decades and have collaborated in many groups and recordings. Silva and Peixoto’s collaborations date back to the 1980’s as part of Airto and Flora Purim’s group as well as Silva’s Steps of the Imagination, and Peixoto’s Terra Sul, while Rice and Peixoto have been part of The Berkeley Choro Ensemble for over 10 years. Join us for a dynamic performance featuring original compositions as well as a wide range of Brazilian classics.

Roger Glenn & Rob Dehlinger
Roger Glenn (saxophones, clarinet, vocals) and Rob Dehlinger (trumpet, vocals) celebrate the music and legacy of Louis Jordan, Louis Prima, & Louis Armstrong. “Louis, Louis, & Louis” isn’t just a concert, it’s a time machine powered by rhythm, soul, and sheer showmanship, with Roger and Rob channeling the spirit of the music not only through their horns, but also through their voices. They will be joined by Ron Sfarzo (piano), Marcus Shelby (bass), Vince Littleton (drums), Wayne Wallace (trombone), Eddie Pasternak (guitar), and Maryann Sfarzo (vocals).

Kenny Werner
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Kenny Werner has been a world class pianist and composer for over 40 years and is the author of the landmark book Effortless Mastery: Liberating The Master Musician Within. The New York Times has called him a “virtuoso,” the Boston Phoenix has called him “an extraordinary gifted artist,” and his prolific compositions and recordings have won National Endowment for the Arts grants, a Grammy Award nomination and a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Alex Stabile
Alex Stabile is an engineer and award-winning pianist based in San Francisco, presenting a program of Bach, Ravel, and selections from Rachmaninoff’s mighty Études-Tableaux Op. 39. Alex is a Rachmaninoff specialist, back from performing Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto with the Orchestre de la Garde Républicaine in Paris last year. As a non-professional operating outside the usual world of classical music, he works to achieve an eclectic, unvarnished style to connect with a wide range of audiences, without sacrificing exactitude.

Rachel Breen & Sergey Belyavsky
Classical pianist Rachel Breen returns for her annual Bay Area appearance. She will be joined by Sergey Belyavsky for a program that will include Schumann's Carnaval op. 9, Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka, Moritz Rosenthal's Carnaval de Vienne, and more.

Amy D. – POSTPONED
*POSTPONED FOR A LATER DATE*
SONGS & STORIES SERIES
Vocalist, songwriter, and educator Amy D. shares her songs and elaborates on her musical foundation rooted in jazz, followed by formal classical training, and talks about the creation of her band Heart Matter. She’ll be accompanied by vibraphonist and fellow collaborator Dillon Vado. Followed by audience Q & A. Hosted by vocalist Sharmila G. Lash.

Edward Simon
Edward Simon, a native of Venezuela, has made a name for himself over decades in America as a jazz improviser, composer-arranger and band leader, with his profile heightening in recent years as he has explored the commonalities jazz can have with the folkloric sounds of Latin America.

Charles Chen
Album Release Party!
Charles Chen celebrates his freshly released latest album, Building Characters (recorded with Bob Sheppard, Randy Brecker, Adam Nussbaum, Mike Richmond, released May 15, 2025). This show features a classic sextet playing originals and arrangements from classic repertoire, Building Characters, and a special sneak peek of his next album. The songs and arrangements will be a range of different styles from the golden age Blue Note era (think Art Blakey Messengers, Horace Silver, Benny Golson).

Spaghetti
Spaghetti is an electrifying instrumental quartet of Bay Area musicians featuring Latin Grammy-nominated accordionist and pianist Sam Reider, guitarist Jim Campilongo, drummer Scott Amendola, and bassist Mat Muntz. Original compositions by Reider and Campilongo collide with tunes by Duke Ellington, Astor Piazzolla, Hank Williams and beyond.

Dred Scott
Pianist Dred Scott and his band present music from his latest album, Cali Mambo. Inspired by George Shearing’s latin jazz records, this project marks Scott’s much-anticipated return to the vibrant world of jazz clubs and highlights his passion for the pulsating rhythms of latin jazz. He will be joined by NYC vibraphonist Tom Beckham, legendary latin jazz drummer Josh Jones, and bassist Sam Bevan.

Paul G. McCurdy
Join in-demand Bay Area composer-pianist Paul G. McCurdy for an evening of new compositions rooted in the expressive possibilities of music and the piano. Flowing from pieces grounded in the classical tradition to those inspired by jazz and improvisation, the recital features music about human connection, deep introspection, and defiant joy in a time of chaos. Don't miss what may be one of Paul's last performances in the Bay Area before moving to NYC!

Gillian Margot & Geoffrey Keezer
Keezer and Margot have been touring, writing and recording together for several years, including their 2018 album On My Way to You (MarKeez). They bring their unique vision of the vocal and piano duet to concert stages worldwide, performing familiar jazz standards, beloved pop songs and vibrant original compositions, in a varied and intimate set.

Hannah Mayer Trio
Join longtime friends and musical collaborators pianist Hannah Mayer, bassist Aidan McCarthy, and drummer Jayla Hernández for an intimate performance featuring Hannah’s original compositions and arrangements of favorites ranging from showtunes to Brazilian popular music.

Josh Nelson
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
“A first-call accompanist and collaborator for the vocal elite, and a conceptualist who's crafted smartly arranged musical love letters to everything from steampunk sci-fi to the City of Los Angeles as part of his ongoing Discovery Project, Nelson is a creative force to be reckoned with.” –Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz

Melissa Lam & Eric Tran
Melissa Lam, a talented cellist with the San Francisco Choral Society Orchestra, and Eric Tran, pianist-composer and teacher with an MM from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, present a performance featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff's Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 19, and Felix Mendelssohn's Cello Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58.

SF Opera Orchestra
Night Music
Ten musicians from the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, along with longtime San Francisco Opera music staff member and pianist Robert Mollicone, take the stage at the piano store to perform intimate works by Claude Debussy, Astor Piazzolla, Eugene Bozza, George Frideric Handel, Ludwig van Beethoven and Maurice Ravel, among others.

Mads Tolling & John R. Burr
Mads Tolling and John R. Burr met back in 2015, and in 2023 released their first album together, Ramblin’ on Blue Coast Records. The album features creative arrangements of songs from all corners of the music world, including Toto, Lennon/McCartney, Victor Young and John McLaughlin. Tunes from Ramblin’ will be part of the set list this evening, along with songs from the Great American Songbook and originals by John and Mads.

Howard Levy
Howard Levy is a virtuoso pianist, harmonicist and composer, originally from New York, based in Chicago. Winner of two Grammy Awards, he has performed and recorded with a wide array of artists including Béla Fleck and The Flecktones, Paquito D’Rivera, Donald Fagen, and many more. He tours extensively as a solo artist, presenting an adventurous blend of original jazz piano compositions flavored with Latin and World Music. And of course, expect a few tunes where he plays piano and harmonica simultaneously.

Lynne Arriale Trio
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Lynne Arriale, piano
Alon Near, bass
Alon Benjamini, drums

Trio M
Featuring protean pianist Myra Melford, galvanizing bassist Mark Dresser, and supremely musical drummer Matt Wilson, Trio M brings together three visionary jazz artists with extensive track records in adventurous ensembles. Unbound by piano trio conventions, the leaderless project erases distinctions between frontline and accompanist, requiring each player to shape the music’s flow as it unfolds. The resulting sounds can be fierce and beatific, playful and rigorous, earthy or abstract, extravagantly joyous or quietly introspective.

Mary Ellen Callahan
SONGS & STORIES SERIES
California-born soprano Mary Ellen Callahan sings a collection of songs that includes her favorites, as well as a few she learned to love. She’ll talk about her international career as a recitalist and soloist, sorting the differences between performing a program curated by herself and being hired to sing pieces chosen by someone else. Followed by audience Q & A. Hosted by vocalist Sharmila G. Lash.

Sudamericanto
Sudamericanto’s unique brand of latin-american music combines Brazilian jazz with South and Central American folk rhythms, taking audiences along a journey through traditions from South America and the Caribbean with a Brazilian jazz twist. Featuring multi-faceted Puerto Rican vocalist/interpreter Madeleine Zayas and high caliber Bay Area musicians/educators coming together to play fresh compositions of Brazilian Jazz tunes, in addition to original arrangements of carefully selected Latin American classics from Argentina, Chile, Perú, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.

Larry Vuckovich Quartet
Pianist Vince Guaraldi’s main claim to fame are his Charlie Brown/Peanuts compositions, but he was much more than that, excelling in various musical styles. Being his only student and later joining his two-piano quartet, Powder Keg, pianist Larry Vuckovich knows Guaraldi’s music firsthand. Presenting the true side of Vince Guaraldi, Larry plays some of Guaraldi’s favorite repertoire that spans various genres, with Kai Lyons (guitar), Doug Miller (bass), and Hector Lugo (Latin percussion).

Benny Green
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Hard bop pianist Benny Green – who has played with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the Freddie Hubbard Quintet, and the Ray Brown Trio – returns to the piano store for an evening of solo piano that will include standards and originals.

Omar Sosa
JAZZ PIANO MASTERS SERIES
Documentary Screening and Solo Performance
Join us for a special night of the Bay Area debut of Omar Sosa's 88 Well-Tuned Drums, a feature-length documentary on the life and music of Cuban-born pianist, composer, and multiple Grammy-nominee Omar Sosa. The film follows Omar's story from early childhood and conservatory education as a percussionist in Cuba, military service in Angola, a stint in Ecuador writing commercial jingles, and his fateful move to San Francisco. The screening will be followed by a solo performance not to be missed!